Global asset risk management system and methods

ABSTRACT

A method and system for providing a risk assessment are disclosed. The method includes receiving intelligence from at least one intelligence source, and generating a risk assessment report based on the intelligence.

This application is a continuation-in-part of U.S. patent applicationSer. No. 09/619,245, filed Jul. 19, 2000 now U.S. Pat. No. 6,842,737,the entire disclosure of which is hereby incorporated by reference as ifset forth fully herein.

This disclosure contains information subject to copyright protection.The copyright owner has no objection to the facsimile reproduction byanyone of the patent disclosure or the patent as it appears in the U.S.Patent and Trademark Office files or records, but otherwise reserves allcopyright rights whatsoever.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention generally relates to a method and system forproviding global risk management products for business and consumer use.The present invention more particularly relates to a method and systemfor assessing and mitigating risk associated with one or more assets.

2. Background Information

Millions of travelers are afflicted with problems each year, problemsinvolving their health and safety, the timeliness and quality of theirtrip, and their familiarity with their destination. Further, assetmanagers and security directors must assess and/or mitigate increasedrisk to assets such as people or facilities caused by a variety offactors such as security threats or transportation issues. Theseproblems cost time, money, and even lives. Whenever a travel problem orthreat event occurs, however, typically the information necessary toavoid it, or solve it, is available somewhere, if only the traveler orasset manager had known about it. Thus, there is a pressing need todevelop a system which continually monitors the world for pertinenttravel-related information, on the one hand, and on the other hand,delivers relevant information to travelers or asset managers when,where, and how they need to use this information.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The method and system of the present invention have met theabove-described needs by providing a method and system for the automateddelivery of travel information when, where, and how travelers need it.

The invention provides a method for providing travel-related informationto a consumer having a consumer-specific profile. This method includesacquiring information from at least one information source; transformingthe acquired information into information pertinent to travel relatedactivities; using rules for applying the transformed travel informationto the consumer-specific travel profile; and, creating a product forsaid consumer indicative of the results of the application of thetransformed travel information to the consumer-specific travel profile.A system implementation of this method is also provided in anotheraspect of the invention. It can be appreciated that the invention canalso be embodied in a computer-readable medium.

In a further aspect of the invention, an information system segment isprovided that is structured for use in a system for providing travelrelated information to a consumer with a consumer-specific profile. Thisinformation system segment includes a collection subsystem for obtaininginformation from at least one data source; an analysis subsystem forfiltering the obtained information to identify its travel relatedcharacteristics; and, a distribution/storage subsystem for directing thefiltered data to at least one portion of the system for providing travelrelated information.

It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide, in oneaspect, a system based on five elements: a global operations center,which continuously collects, analyzes, and processes informationpertaining to travel from at least one information source; a data storefor holding the information; a profiling system, for capturing andmaintaining traveler profiles; a rules engine for applying rulespertaining to travel based on the traveler's profile; and a plurality ofonline products that incorporate and deliver the relevant travelinformation.

It is a further object of the invention to provide, in another aspect, acontinuous creation of information in an intelligence operations center,and its storage in the data store, to provide travel related informationon a plurality of global destinations.

It is a further object of the invention to provide, in another aspect, aprofiling system that captures a traveler's profile, triggers theapplication of relevant rules (e.g. if the traveler has a respiratoryproblem, and the altitude of the destination is sufficiently high, thena warning notice will be retrieved), and retrieves pertinent informationfrom the data store.

It is a further object of the invention, in another aspect, to packagetravel information in an electronic product and deliver that product inan on-line environment.

It is a further object of the invention to provide, in another aspect,connectivity with an external, global airline reservation system, suchthat the invention is associated with the act of buying an airlineticket, for example, as well as for boats, trains, and other similarconsumer transportation.

Furthermore, embodiments may include receiving travel intelligence fromat least one travel intelligence source, receiving asset informationfrom at least one asset information source, and generating a riskassessment report based on the travel intelligence and the assetinformation.

These and other objects of the present invention will be more fullyunderstood from the following description of the invention and byreference to the figures and claims appended hereto.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

A full understanding of the invention can be gained from the followingdetailed description of the invention when read in conjunction with theaccompanying drawings in which:

FIG. 1 is a logical and functional architecture diagram showing anembodiment of the method and system of the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a block diagram of an embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 3 is a block diagram of an embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 4 is a flow diagram of an embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 5 is a flow diagram of an embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 6 is a system diagram of an embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 7 is a system diagram of an embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 8 is a flow diagram of an embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 9 is a system diagram of an embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 10 is a system diagram of an embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 11 is a combined system/flow diagram of an embodiment of thepresent invention;

FIG. 12 is a system diagram of an embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 13 is a system diagram of an embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 14 is a system diagram of an embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 15 is a flow diagram of an embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 16 is a flow diagram of an embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 17 is a system diagram of an embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 18 is a flow diagram of an embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 19 is a flow diagram of an embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 20 is a conceptual flow diagram of an embodiment of the presentinvention;

FIG. 21 is a system diagram of an embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 22 is a system diagram of an embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 23 is a system diagram of an embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 24 is a system diagram of an embodiment of the present invention;and

FIG. 25 is a functional flow diagram of a global asset risk managementsystem according to at least one embodiment;

FIG. 26 is a flow chart of a global asset risk management methodaccording to at least one embodiment

FIG. 27 is an illustration of a risk assessment determination accordingto at least one embodiment

FIG. 28 is an exemplary source catalog page according to at least oneembodiment;

FIGS. 29 a and 29 b are exemplary general interactive pages showinggeneral details associated with a source according to at least oneembodiment;

FIG. 30 is an exemplary comments interactive page showing commentsassociated with a source according to at least one embodiment;

FIG. 31 is an exemplary metadata interactive page showing metadataassociated with a source according to at least one embodiment;

FIG. 32 is an exemplary contact interactive page showing contactinformation associated with a source according to at least oneembodiment;

FIG. 33 is an exemplary source ratings page according to at least oneembodiment;

FIG. 34 is an exemplary additional intelligence page in at least oneembodiment;

FIG. 35 is an exemplary reference document page in at least oneembodiment;

FIG. 36 is an exemplary additional intelligent metadata interactive pageshowing metadata associated with an additional intelligence sourceaccording to at least one embodiment;

FIG. 37 is an exemplary additional intelligent ratings interactive pageshowing source ratings associated with an additional intelligence sourceaccording to at least one embodiment; and

FIGS. 38 a and 38 b are exemplary pages of a risk assessment reportaccording to at least one embodiment.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE EMBODIMENTS

Travel Information Logical and Functional Architectures

In the method and system of the present invention, a logicalarchitecture and its corresponding functional architecture are providedthat can operate on an Internet-based information exchange medium oranother similarly structured and suitable medium. This architecturepermits a breadth of information sources from which information relatedto travel, in particular, can be gathered, transformed and provided to aconsumer in the form of a product and/or service.

As used herein, the term “travel-related information” includes anyinformation which is related to a particular mode of travel or traveldestination. As used herein, a “consumer” can be an individual, aplurality of individuals, a company, and/or any other entity that usestravel-related information. As used herein, a “consumer-specificprofile” can include any information that relates to a consumer's travelpreferences, such as, but not limited to, any one or more of thefollowing: destination, mode of travel, health condition of traveler,travel risks associated with a particular destination, and the like. An“information source” as used herein can be any electronic, written,verbal or other source from which data can be derived. A “product” asused herein can refer to a product and/or a service.

Referring now to FIG. 1, in the form of the invention shown, the methodand system of the present invention can be represented as fivearchitectural layers that represent data processing from informationacquisition to product/service delivery. In the information acquisitionlayer 2, information regarding travel can be acquired from informationsources 4 such as other Internet sites. In performing the function ofinformation acquisition, these information sources 4 may or may not bepartnered with the home Internet site from which travel analysis isdelivered to the individual consumer.

Referring again to FIG. 1, in the information transformation layer 6,data retrieved from information sources in layer 2 are processed throughat least two logical steps in the method and system architecture: one isan oversight and advisement step 8 and another is the research andanalysis step 10. A functional architecture of the inventioncorresponding to the information transformation 6 logical architecturecan be provided that can be designated as an information validation andrecommendations 12 function. The oversight and advisement step 8 caninclude, for example, processing acquired data through a healthinformation board, performing an advisement function, and developingbusiness rules 14 for treatment of current and future travel datarelated to health and medicine. The research and analysis step 10 of theinformation transformation layer 6 can include, for example, applyingmedical information and epidemiology findings from clinic networks 16that are researching the status of communicable diseases at a giventravel destination. In the information transformation layer 6, dataacquired is validated and recommendations for further processing of thatacquired data through the travel method and system of the invention aredeveloped.

Referring again to FIG. 1, in the information development/applicationstep 18, business rules, some of which can be substantially continuouslyand dynamically generated in the oversight and advisement step 8 of themethod and system, are applied to the travel data. In this step 18,factors such as health, security and safety business rules 20 aredetermined and applied relative to the acquired and transformed traveldata. In the product/service creation step 22 of the method and systemof the present invention, a report is generated 24 for use by a consumerto evaluate a decision regarding travel to a particular country orregion of the world. Also, in this step 22, activities such as alertcharacterization and distribution list development 24 (discussed in moredetail hereinafter) are produced and provided as products/services forthe consumer.

Referring again to FIG. 1, product/service delivery 26 occurs withregard to providing the travel information to a consumer. In this step26, the consumer receives desired information regarding travel to andfrom a particular location of the world. The product/service deliverystep 26 can be performed through a variety of suitable delivery channels28, including without limitation, the Internet, wireless communicationmedia and apparatus, business intranets, kiosks or other virtual and/orphysical locations from which it is desirable for a consumer to requestand obtain travel information.

Referring again to FIG. 1, in summary, the functional architecture ofthe invention is a layered architecture, with five distinct functionallayers corresponding to the logical architecture layers. The informationacquisition layer 2 includes a unique collection of travel informationsources and a robust set of mechanisms for acquiring varied informationsources. The information transformation layer 6 includes extract,transform, and load sub-processes, and a unique, external application ofexpert research and analysis. The information development/applicationlayer 18 includes interactions with subsystems such as alert and eventmonitoring; extract, transform, and load sub-processes; and externaloversight, advisement, and travel business rules development such as byindustry experts. The product/service creation/delivery layers 22,26include content management and global travel information, includingworkflow, version control, personalization, and content integration;creation of unique, personalized products based on a combination ofpersonalized travel profile information of the global travelinformation; and a rich and diverse set of delivery channels.

It can be understood by one skilled in the art that the foregoinglogical steps can be applied, for purposes of implementing the methodand system of the present invention, to a plurality of functionalmodules. It can be further understood that the specific functionalarchitecture aspects of the invention described herein are intended tobe illustrative, and not limiting, as to the scope of the invention.

Travel Information Technology Implementation Architecture

In summary, referring now to FIGS. 2 and 3, the technologyimplementation architecture of the invention is a descriptive set of aplurality of technology subsystems or segments, each of which can beconsidered as part of one of several functional systems: collection 32,back office 34, content repository 36, products 38, internet site 40,and distribution 42. FIGS. 2 and 3 illustrate the relationships betweenand among these different technology segments.

Content Identification Segment (CIS)

Referring now to FIG. 4, a content identification segment (CIS) (51)relates to the initial and ongoing identification of information sourcessuch as internet sites that enhance the products and services providedby the invention. The CIS (51) also enables the determination of sitesin use that should, based on subjective or objective criteria, no longerbe relied upon for accurate, timely, or value-added content.

Content in the invention can be identified by manual methods performedby subject matter experts (SME's) 52 or individuals with domainexpertise using public search engines, for example. In another aspect ofthe invention, once a base set of content sources has been established,an automated robot process 54 can be employed to identify potentialsites on a regular basis. To improve their performance, such robotprocesses can be monitored and reviewed by the SME's 52 on a regularbasis with periodic validation of the criteria driving these robots. Ingeneral, the robot process begins by returning identified site lists.Refinements can then be added by applying SME-developed context to textreturned by these robot processes.

With this SME-developed context, a high-level classification of thesites returned can be developed. The granularity of robot 54 returns befairly coarse initially, and more finely grained as identificationtechniques are honed. Likewise, the levels of classification of robot 54returns can be limited, with additional levels added as identificationtechniques are honed. Multiple levels of robot activity can therefore beimplemented in accordance with the invention.

A blanket robot can exist, for example, that combs the web simply forthe word “travel,” then discards duplicate hits or hits outside of<Title> or <meta> tags. Ultimately, these robot processes may evolve toseveral robot processes that can look for specific occurrences of theword “travel” in conjunction with other words (e.g., “health”) in veryspecific structural elements of the document (e.g., only if both wordsoccur in both the <title> tag and in <meta name=keywords> tag). It canbe appreciated that the robot technology can also be effective fornon-HTML sources, provide mechanisms for natural language queries, andcan be able to route hit returns substantially automatically to specificSME's 52.

Content Acquisition/Aggregation Segment (CAAS)

Referring now to FIG. 5, in the invention a CAAS (71) defines theprocesses by which identified content (see CIS (51) discussion above) isacquired and classified as belonging to a specific domain, then storedin a format by which the content management system (see CMS (131)discussion hereinafter) can use.

The CAAS (71) includes developing agents 72 to retrieve identifiedcontent from an information source 74 and implementing a schedulingmechanism 76 to initiate these agents. In general, content acquisitionschedules 76 range from completely static (e.g., a single agentinitiation for the power requirements in France) to hourly (e.g., afive-day weather forecast for Paris). Notification agents 78 can also bedeveloped and scheduled for initiation at regular intervals. Thesenotification agents 78 can inform content acquisition personnel that aparticular content source has changed in content or structure.

If a relatively simple change in content is indicated, the acquisitionagent 72 can be manually initiated to bring in the latest content for agiven information source 74. Integration with the Administration Segment(ADMS) (181) (discussed hereinafter) is required for this process, as aninitial acquisition agent schedule 76 is sparse until the frequency atwhich site content changes is understood. If a notification agent 78returns information on a content structure change, for example, contentmanagement personnel can modify the corresponding acquisition agent 72so that the change content is correctly acquired. In addition, anenvironment can be created whereby SME's can create ad hoc acquisitionand notification agents for alert purposes. In another aspect of theinvention, the modification of acquisition agents 72 can be automatedand based on the return information of notification agents 78. It can beappreciated, however, that some manual oversight is desirable in thisprocess.

Content Repository Segment (CRS)

In the invention, the content repository segment (CRS) 91 stores,manages, and distributes substantially all acquired travel informationthat is considered persistent.

Referring now to FIGS. 6 and 7, the content repository can be considereda “hub” for content and data. Although the content repository 91includes both relational and object XML data stores 92, it can beaccessed and managed through a central mechanism and driven by a singleengine 94. The content repository 91, as shown, can provide facilitiesto store, view, import, organize, modify, export, and querytravel-related information. It can include one or more physical datastores 92,96,98,100,102,104,106; the data engine 94; an integrated toolset for development; and, a centralized management facility 108.

It can be appreciated, in an alternative aspect of the invention, thatthe content repository 91 could support extended data types includinguser-defined types and extended data types of audio and video. Thecontent repository 91 can also include portions of the application ofbusiness logic in the data model.

In one embodiment of the invention, the content repository comprisesseveral technological components. A component environment is a dedicatedcontent object layer. An application server 93 is provided that storesand processes data access/storage components 95. Services are enabledwith Java Database Connectivity (JDBC) and open database connectivity(ODBC) drivers. An object request broker (ORB) is also employed (anobject request broker) to manage object-to-object messaging andinter-ORB communications. The XML object engine 94 stores/retrieves XMLobjects from data stores 92,102,104 and has functionality based onschemas stored in a data map store 102. An XML parser 110 is includedthat checks syntactical correctness of schemas. in the data map store102 and ensures the formation integrity of incoming XML objects. Anobject processor 112 is included as a component to physically store XMLdata in the XML store 92. A query interpreter 114 resolves XML QueryLanguage (XQL) requests and interacts with the object composer 116 toretrieve XML objects according to the schema stored in the data mapstore 102. The object composer 116 is provided to construct theinformation objects, based on storage and retrieval rules defined in thedata map store 102, and return them as XML documents. There are alsovarious utilities in this embodiment, including those that supportdirectory and tree-oriented loading of XML objects. An external storageintegration component (ESIC) (118) permits applications to access dataregardless of database type or location.

The data map (meta data) store 102 serves as the content repository's 91knowledge base. The data map store 102 contains the schemas that holdthe rules according to which XML objects are stored and composed, suchas: (1) storage and indexing of XML objects within the contentrepository, (2) mapping of data to different data structures to enablethe integration of existing data, and (3) executing user-definedapplication logic with a server extension function associated with anobject. An SQL engine 120 manages an internal SQL store 104; executesSQL statements; and, accepts SQL statements in a number of ways:internally, from the object engine 94; from applications, which can beeither embedded or through standard database interfaces such as ODBC(122), JDBC, or OLE-DB (124); and, from the content repository manager108. The CR manager 108 provides an administration tool implemented as agraphical user interface (GUI) that runs in standard web browser. Inaddition, server extensions permit user-defined functions to beincorporated into the content repository 91.

Content Management Segment (CMS)

Referring now to FIG. 8, in the form of the invention shown, a contentmanagement segment CMS (131) can be defined by the processes andtechnologies by which content is managed. Content managementtechnologies include content and design control, contributor/user accesscontrol, site control, asset control, publication, and workflow. Auniversal (i.e., generic) presentation format can be developed, alongwith XML document schema, and content binding to page layouts can beimplemented. Substantially all content, including text, graphics,styles, themes, and other assets, can be stored as objects in ahigh-performance relational database. For performance reasons, allcontent provided by the invention, as presented to a content consumer,comprises static pages in flat file systems. This content can bedynamically generated on an as-needed basis (e.g., one particular pageevery minute, one particular subset of pages every week, and the like).

After initial implementation, interaction with ADMS (181) and CRMSdetermines style and design modifications. In another aspect of theinvention, implementation of ancillary services such as advertisingmanagement and syndication mechanisms can be incorporated into theinvention. It can be appreciated that content can be translated andglobal sites can therefore be developed in English, Spanish, German,French, Japanese and other suitable languages to-which the invention canbe adapted.

Travel Information Report Segment (TIRS)

Referring now to the figures, in another embodiment of the invention, atravel intelligence report (TIR) can be generated that includes tripinformation necessary to make informed decisions regarding pre-travelpreparation and enhancement and enjoyment of travel related activities.In one aspect of the invention, the TIR can be divided into four majorsections: Pre-Trip Information, Destination Information (for one or moredestinations), General Advice, and Products and Services. Within eachsection is a set of information categories, each of which containsseveral information requirements. Each of these requirements can becustomized to (1) the traveler, based on his/her personal profile, (2)destination, and (3) related issues such as season of travel.

The Pre-Trip section travel categories include Alerts, Entry/ExitRequirements, and Pre-Trip Health considerations. Alerts may include,but are not limited to, Safety/Security, Weather, and Transportation.Entry/Exit Requirements can include all legal, health, and custom issuesthat are important for entering and leaving a particular destination.The Pre-Trip Health section can also include required and recommendedimmunizations, health risk considerations, and the like.

Typical travel categories and information requirements in theDestination section includes, but is not limited to:

1. Safety/Security: Social Stability, Crime, Airline, Game Parks

2. Weather/Environment: Climate & Terrain, Natural Risks, Environment,Weather Chart & Forecast

3. Transportation: Air Travel, Water Transportation, Road/OverlandTravel, Taxi, Mass Transit, Train Travel, Rental Cars

4. Money: Cash & Credit, Taxes, Cost of Living

5. Telecommunications: Phone/Electric, Internet, Contact Information,Mail, Radio

6. Social Customs: Behavior, Religion, Women's Issues, Business Hours,Public Holidays & Events

7. Legal: Prohibited Items, Penalties

8. Language: Official Language

9. Health: immunizations, nearest hospital, health insurance, healthrisks

One feature of the TIR is that it can be a hyperlinked report. Consumershave the ability to expand or contract particular informationrequirements to see detail or concise descriptions for a given TIR,information which has come directly from the global operations center.The TIR can be printed directly from a browser, or saved in a variety ofelectronic formats, but it is also “alive” in the sense that a travelercan return to it online at anytime up to thirty days after theconclusion of his trip and access the latest information based on hisprofile. In fact, if an alert level event occurs during the life of thereport it will trigger the transmission of an e-mail (or other pushtechnology) warning from the report to the traveler. In this way thereport, and the operations center behind it, become the traveler's ownpersonal intelligence agency.

The TIR can also include a rating (such as from 1 to 5 in tenthincrements, for example), which is a weighted-average of the total riskof the trip represented by the TIR as determined by criteria applied tothe travel data in the TIR. This rating can be illustrated, for example,by a series of “jet” graphics printed on the TIR.

Member Personalization Segment (MPS)

Referring to FIGS. 9 and 10, a member personalization segment (MPS)(151) defines the functions and processes by which the products andservices of the invention are personalized to a specific consumer. Inaddition to personalization of product/service offerings, the MPS (151)provides a mechanism to apply targeted marketing to the travelcommunity.

The MPS (151) includes, for example, the following information: static,stored personal information; name recognition 152; and, user-providedinformation 154. In one aspect of the invention, a personalizationbusiness rules engine 156 interacts with this information, along withinput from business rules frameworks applied to ISS (351). It can beappreciated that the information sophistication level can increase toprovide the following processes: content consumption measurement 158;adaptive content and navigation; predictive modeling 160; segmentation;and behavioral personalization.

Billing Segment (BIS)

Referring to FIG. 11, a billing segment (BIS) (171) can be employed todefine the billing and payment architecture for products and servicesprovided by the invention. The BIS (171) can be associated with theTIR's and channel partners (e.g., e-Ticket TIR). Billable activity canalso be captured within the distribution segment (DIS) (190) then routedto BIS (171) and CR5 (91) (for updating partner detail records andconsumer detail records.

In one aspect of the invention, BIS (171) includes, for example, thefollowing functionality: rules-based messaging to tailor invoicing forspecific partners; e-mail based invoice presentation, with a secureuniform resource locator (URL)-link back to the invention internet sitefor invoice details; a comprehensive customer-care system for issuessuch as dispute management; an ability to implement prearranged paymentplans; and, flexible payment processing, including-payment returns andpayment confirmation. It can also be appreciated that credit cardpayments can be accommodated by the invention.

In another aspect of the invention, a cost model for alerts can bedetermined based on factors such as (1) alert level, (2) number ofdelivery channels, and (3) type of delivery channel.

With regard to syndication of content, a cost model can be developed forthe invention to accommodate granular syndication requirements. Forexample, one partner may choose to syndicate the entire inventioncontent, while another partner may choose a vertical (e.g., informationrequirement) or horizontal (e.g., geographical) subset to suchsyndication. Also related to CMS (131) are the requirements associatedwith localization. For example, if a channel such as the internet siteof the invention is localized for a foreign country, currencyconsiderations are an important consideration.

In another embodiment of the invention, to satisfy these additionalrequirements, a multi-service BIS (171) considers the following: volumetiering, discounting, multi-format invoicing, billing-on-demand(including threshold, activity-based, and billing in advance), anddirect debit processing. In an alternative embodiment of the invention,the billing function can be out-sourced to a service provider.

Administration Segment (ADMS)

Referring now to FIG. 12, an administration segment (ADMS) (181) definesthe administration and reporting necessary to maintain a robust, activeset of systems and a proactive approach to determining return oninvestment (ROI) on system processes. Management of the systems of theinvention can take place internally such as by personnel, externally bythe INFS provider, and/or externally by a management service provider182.

Internally, structured reports are used to measure ROI of severalprocesses, including internet site analysis (navigation, contentconsumption, activity paths, and the like) and content acquisition ROI.Ad hoc mechanisms 184 can be used for targeted data mining and analysis.Key elements of this internal reporting mechanism are the determinationof content acquisition cost vs. content use (i.e., ROI ofdestination-specific products).

Externally, base operating system (OS)-level functionality can bemanaged by collocation INFS partner(s). This functionality includessecurity, redundancy, load balancing, and the like. By placing amanagement service provider client 186 between the invention's internetsite application services 188 and the DIS (190), one can also manageprocess, transaction, and infrastructure issues.

In addition, a plurality of metrics can be captured and analyzed.Process metrics include end-to-end transaction response times, actualtransactions: target transaction ratio, start-to-finish transactionratios for key business processes, availability or service levelagreement (SLA)-ratios of partners. Transaction metrics can includeactivity response times, including product (e.g., TIR's, EAS (201))production and distribution, session ID transaction information,performance based on volume of product creation/distribution,replication updates per unit time (including product, email, etc.).

Infrastructure metrics can include web server metrics, includingconnection rates, connected users, data transfer rates, and number ofconnections, database metrics, including database transactions, filesizes, deadlocks, memory cache hit ratios, memory optimization, userlogins, logout rate, and user connections; and, server metrics,including packet traffic, queue size, disk and memory utilization, andsession errors.

Event/Alert Segment (EAS)

Referring now to FIG. 13, an event/alert segment (EAS) (201) isresponsible for the identification, selection, management, anddistribution definition of events and alerts. The EAS (201) can supportboth manual and automated systems. The manual systems permit an Analyst,for example, to generate an Alert and forward it to the EAS (201) forprocessing. The EAS (201) can process an Alert by queuing it in priorityorder to a selection system operated by an Event Reporting Analyst.Alerts are reviewed to ensure that the system does not flood thedistribution network with low grade or otherwise relativelyinsignificant Alerts. The Analyst can modify both the Alert content andattributes (duration, region of interest, level, and the like). An Alertcan be sent back to one or more designated Analysts for review andcomment as a high priority message. Once the Event Reporting Analystreleases an Alert, the EAS (201) determines the applicable members andestablishes the distribution orders for the Alert. This information ispassed to the Distribution Segment (DIS) (190) to perform transmissionof the Alert to various distribution networks, such as by pager, e-mail,and other suitable communication avenues.

In another aspect of the invention, automated systems can be deployedthat perform keyword spotting and category analysis to identifypotential candidate content for Alert generation. Keyword spottinginvolves scanning incoming content for specific keywords or combinationof keywords using regular expression analysis defined in a KeywordDictionary. Examples of such keywords for Alert reporting are“hurricane”, “strike”, and the like. Other keywords would includespecific names of countries, airlines, and the like.

Once keywords are identified, Category Analysis is used to determine whoshould review the content. For example, a message with “France”,“United” and “strike” could be automatically routed to the European DeskAnalyst and the Transportation Domain Expert as “high priority” contentfor review.

The method and system of the invention addresses the need to providemultiple Event Reporting Analysts as a role. This role can be passedfrom shift to shift, and there can be multiple Event Reporting Analystsoperating concurrently. If there are multiple Event Reporting Analystsoperating, the system can maintain a single, global work queue butresist multiple Event Reporting Analysts from working the same Alertsimultaneously.

An important aspect of this embodiment of the invention is the abilityto identify, review and select events for Alert reporting. Alerts canhave, for example, three (3) levels of significance. A Level 1—HighPriority/Critical Alert could be considered one that can directly impactthe health, safety, or schedule of the traveler. Examples of Level 1Alerts could include weather alerts, flight delays and cancellations,actual strike actions, and the like. A Level 2—Medium Priority/WarningAlert relates to information that may have an impact on the health,safety or schedule of the traveler. Examples of Level 2 Alerts includeimminent weather conditions, strike advisories, social unrest, airportfacility issues, and the like. A Level 3—Low Priority/InformationalAlert is related to information that the traveler should be aware ofabout his/her trip. Examples of Level 3 Alerts can include major eventsbeing held at a given destination, financial situations such as moneyvaluation issues, visits of a major head of state, and the like.

In another aspect of the invention, the EAS (201) technology is a subsetof ISS (351) technology (discussed hereinafter).

E-commerce Segment (ECS)

Referring now to the figures, an e-commerce segment (ECS) of theinvention provides the consumer with the opportunity to purchase travelassociated products, that can be appropriately matched with theconsumer's travel itinerary and profile. The ECS can be implemented asconventional hyperlinks at the end of a TIR: these links can be genericand/or targeted to the consumer based on predetermined criteria (e.g.,season, destination country). These links are preferably only linked tothe source provider for the product.

In another aspect of the invention, targeted contextual e-commerce canalso be implemented on the TIR. This contextual e-commerce can be memberprofile-specific and combined with trip specifics to recommendparticular products to the consumer. The consumer can then be linked andtransacted through specific channels of the internet site for theinvention. It can be appreciated that, instead of dedicated e-commerceplatforms being incorporated to implement this type of e-commerce,content agents from CAAS (71) can be used, along with the BIS (171), toachieve this level of e-commerce. This contextual e-commerce can becombined with the internet site of the invention, such as on thepersonalized “My” internet site section. In addition, the internet siteof the invention can employ order fulfillment as a function and servicefor the consumer.

Customer Relationship Management Segment (CRMS)

A customer relationship management segment (CRMS) (221) of the inventionrelates to interaction among consumers, site users, and internet sitecustomer service. The CRMS (221) provides a forum in which site userscan correspond with a central point of contact (POC) for providingcomments and suggestions on products and services provided by theinternet site. This feedback can be provided by conventional e-maillinks and toll-free telephone numbers, for example.

The CRMS (221) is a virtual contact center, with workflow, routing,queuing, automated e-mail return, single-click email response, and thelike. Incoming requests can be automatically comprehended and classifiedusing message content. A response can be automatically composed with anappropriate reply and data can be retrieved to complete and personalizethe response. Responses can then be either automatically sent or routedto a review agent or agents who can then send them to the consumer afterexamination.

In another aspect of the invention, a web-based self-service solutioncan be implemented that recreates the experience of working with anexpert customer service representative.

In addition, an online community can be established by developingdiscussion forums and a comprehensive knowledge base. In connection withthis knowledge base development is a process whereby content suggestionsare automatically routed to SME's for analysis and inclusion in thecontent store.

In another aspect of the invention, CRMS can also include targetedfeedback campaigns and e-mail solicitations. The CRMS can be integratedwith the ADMS (181) (for metrics relating to customer activity,retention, and referrals), the MPS (151) (to provide customer-providedinput and behaviors for personalization), the MOIS (261) (forestablishing additional marketing opportunities), the BIS (171) (forbilling customer care), and the PRMS (241) (to share technologies andprocesses). Live person type support can also be out-sourced after apredetermined number of inquiries are noted.

Partner Relationship Management Segment (PRMS)

Referring now to FIG. 16, in the invention, a partner relationshipmanagement segment (PRMS) (241) can encompass both partner lifecyclemanagement and extended enterprise selling. The PRMS (241) can becentered on CHAMPS (Channel and Alliance Management Process) 242 and canconcentrate on two areas. Initially, partner lifecycle management can beimplemented. This can include partner profiling, partner recruitment,and partner performance monitoring. Integration with MOIS (261). andADMS (181) is important to implementing this segment.

Enterprise selling can also be addressed. This can include leadassignment, lead distribution and tracking, pricing/quoting, andliterature fulfillment. Integration with BIS (171), MOIS (261), and ADMS(181) can be required, as billing customer care and consistentforecasting and reporting can be used:

-   -   Lead Assignment—Assigning qualified leads to the right partners        at the right time is an important task. Managers can graphically        enter business rules for building “decision trees” that decide        which partner is assigned each lead. Rule options can include,        for example, named accounts, score and qualification-based        assignment, and checking to see if a partner is working on        another lead in the same account. Multiple lead decision trees        for different business models can be supported, as well as        optional manual assignment, and lead posting to a pool of        partners.    -   Partner Profiling—Information contained in the partner profile        database can enable distributed management of users, customized        content, push delivery, and online partner recruitment. This        database can store profiles for both individual partners and        partner organizations. An organizational profile can include        information such as industry focus, location, organizational        structure, product authorized to sell and accounts serviced.        Individual profiles cover, for example, contact information,        certification level, and previous performance.    -   Channel Partner Recruitment—A challenge for channel managers is        the need to recruit qualified channel partners. Channel partner        recruitment provides a set of tools to facilitate this        recruitment process. Channel managers are able to modify their        partner qualification criteria according to the existing partner        profiles as well as the current organization needs. Potential        partners can be tracked through the recruitment process and        analysis can be conducted to determine the optimal way to        attract the maximum number of qualifying partners.    -   Channel Communication—Channel communication can be based on two        libraries: a distribution list library and a campaign template        library. The distribution lists can be created from the partner        database and are able to be filtered by type of partner, level        of partner, or other criteria. Lists can be saved (either as a        description or as a list of actual partners) and used for future        campaigns. The campaign library can allow the marketing user to        create new items, such as product announcements or event        reminders, based on standard designs. Once the literature is        created, the system can then distribute the item to the desired        distribution list. Recipients' profiles can be automatically        updated to note the information received, and the system        monitors and reports on responses.

In an alternative embodiment of the invention, PRMS (241) activity canbe coordinated with suitable marketing or sales out-sourcing partners.

Distribution Segment (DIS)

Referring now to the figures, the distribution segment (DIS) (190) isresponsible for taking a distribution order and executing it. ADistribution Order can include the item to distribute (i.e., Alert, TIR,etc.) and where to distribute it (i.e., list of e-mail addresses, pagernumbers, etc.). The DIS (190) can parse the distribution order andforward it in portions to various distribution systems. Thesedistribution systems can include e-mail, pager, facsimile, wireless, andthe like.

The DIS (190) provides advantages with regard to error handling. If atransmission fails, for example, the invention provides a way to linkthis information back to the consumer's profile with an explanation ofwhy there was an error. For example, status=XMIT ERROR, “invalid e-mailaddress: paul@ijet.com”.

In another aspect of the invention, the DIS (190) can include aninteractive voice response (IVR) capability. Using an IVR System, forexample, a member can dial a telephone number (800, 900 or direct) andenter his/her member number and personal ID number (PIN) security codeto gain access to his/her account. Using the IVR System and a series ofselection options, the member can retrieve Alerts, TIR updates, etc. Forexample, “Press 1 for Alerts”, “Press 2 for a TIR Update”, “Press 3 forOptions”, “Press 4 for a Person”, etc. If the member presses “1”, thesystem can move to a second level, dynamic menu of options based on theactive Alerts for the member. The Alerts can be listed in priority orderwith unread Alerts prioritized first. The system can, for example, listthe Alerts “Press 1 Air Canada Strike”, “Press 2 Snow Storm HitsMontreal”, and the like. The member can select an entry at any timewithout listening to the entire list. By entering a selection, thesystem can read the selected entry. The member can select Back, Next,Pause, or Replay at any time while the message is being played.

Marketing Opportunity Identification Segment (MOIS)

Referring now to FIG. 18, a marketing opportunity identification segment(MOIS) (261) of the invention shares the technology base of the CIS (51)and conducts the initial and ongoing identification of sites thatpresent marketing and partner opportunities. In one embodiment, once abase set of marketing opportunities has been established, an automatedrobot process can identify additional potential opportunities on aperiodic basis. The robot process can be monitored and reviewed bymarketing personnel on a periodic basis, and the criteria which drivesthese robots can be periodically validated.

This robot process can return identified opportunity lists. Refinementscan be added by applying marketing-developed context to returned text.With this marketing-developed context, a high-level classification ofthe sites returned can be developed. The granularity of robot returnscan be fairly coarse initially, and more finely grained asidentification techniques are honed. Likewise, the levels ofclassification of robot returns can be fairly limited or have additionallevels added.

In another. aspect of the invention, multiple levels of robot activitycan be implemented. A blanket robot can be employed, for example, thatsearches the internet for the word “travel,” then discards duplicatehits or hits outside of <Title> or <meta> tags on internet sites thatare searched. Another robot process can be utilized that looks forspecific occurrences of the word “travel” in conjunction with otherwords (e.g., “booking”) in specific structural elements of a searchedsite (e.g., only if both words occur in both the <title> tag and in<meta name=keywords> tag). Such robot processes can also be applied tonon-HTML sources, can provide mechanisms for natural language queries,and can automatically route hit returns to marketing personnel orout-sourced marketing/sales organizations affiliated with the internetsite of the invention.

In an another embodiment, MOIS (261) information can be funneled toout-sourced sales and marketing resources and/or the PRMS (241).

Yellow Book Online Segment (YBOS)

Referring now to FIG. 19, in another aspect of the invention, the yellowbook online (YBO) (281) can be provided as a segment including anelectronic version of the CDC's Health Information for InternationalTravelers. The YBO (281) can be a verbatim translation of the printversion, with a full-text search and retrieval mechanism. In anotherembodiment, the YBO content can be syndicated to other internet sitesvia the use of a direct search link to the YBO (281) on the internetsite or through a content window displayed directly from the internetsite.

In another aspect of the invention, further employment of the YBO (281)can include enhanced input conditions for a search (e.g., full-textsearch only on a specific country) and enhanced output (e.g., optionalsummaries of page “hits”). The Yellow Book Online will provide the corehealth information for the system.

Web Segment (WEBS)

Referring now to FIG. 20, a web segment (WEBS) (301) of the invention asshown represents the situation where the internet site is a distributionchannel for its content, products and services.

Technology Infrastructure Segment (INFS)

Referring now to FIG. 21, in another aspect of the invention, aninfrastructure segment (INFS) (321) is provided that includes anoperations center and a staging center along with a collocated site in,for example, the United States, Europe, Africa and other suitableinternational locations. In this embodiment, the primary informationactivity occurs at an internet site headquarters 322 with an operationscenter 324. This information activity can then be staged to a stagingcenter 326, and then replicated to one or more of the collocated sites328,330,332.

In another aspect of the invention, an archive center 334 can be createdat the internet site headquarters. This archive center 334 can store alltravel information activity, including historical, administrative, andmetric data. This archive center 334 can also be integrated with the ISS(351) so that business information mining and new product creation canbe supported.

It can be appreciated that these collocation services can be top-tier,including caching network operations and RAIS (redundant array ofindependent systems) in a load-balanced environment. Services caninclude, but are not limited to, the following:

-   -   Bandwidth Services    -   Multi-line local area network (LAN) Connection    -   Reporting Services    -   Proactive, Multi-Channel Notification    -   Bandwidth Reports    -   Network Caching    -   Managed Monitoring Services        -   Network Monitoring        -   URL Monitoring        -   Reboot Service    -   Multi-path Services    -   Data Vault Services    -   Security Services        -   Intrusion Detection        -   Vulnerability Analysis        -   Managed Fireball

Information System Segment (ISS)

In one embodiment of the invention, an information system segment (ISS)(351) has three functional subsystems: Collection, Analysis, andDistribution/Storage.

In the invention, the Collection subsystem centers on an analyst or SMEwho has domain or geographic expertise. Standard content feeds forhis/her domain are substantially continuously being examined, as isexisting content in the CRS (91). In addition, more focused content iscaptured by ad hoc queries through both the CIS (51) and the CAAS (71).These queries can be run through a machine translator prior to contentacquisition if specialized, foreign language content resources arepresented as information sources. In addition, based on return setcontent, machine translators can also be used prior to CRS (91) storage.Analysts/SME's can also use an RSS Aggregation Module. This module canallow each analyst/SME to develop his/her own, personalized set ofheadline content that can be scanned on a regular basis.

The CRS (91), outside of its standard data structure, has pre-appliedtemplates that ensure the validity of information returned inanalyst/SME queries. These templates are in the form of rules frameworksthat are defined by partners such as a Health Information Board (HIB).The Collection subsystem relies on the interfaces between CRMS, PRMS(241), and MPS: Partner and Member activity history and itineraryinformation can contribute greatly as a background to informationactivity. Also key to the Collection subsystem is a collaborationnetwork that the analyst/SME participates in with other analysts/SME's.Using the collaboration network, queries and return sets can be analyzedby more than one analyst/SME to ensure validity.

In the invention, the Analysis subsystem operates with a marshaled queryon information returned by the Collection subsystem. Such queries can bedone, for example, by using meta data searches, with On-Line AnalyticalProcessing (OLAP) tools, or using conventional pattern recognitiontechnologies. Return sets from these initial analysis queries arefiltered through two pipes: a filter pipe and an index pipe. The filterpipe applies semantics to incoming signals based on meta data associatedwith them. If this approach is unsuccessful, semantic application can beattempted based on content. Feature extraction can next be performed toensure that any semantic application considers multi-semantic issues.The index pipe attempts to index incoming signals based on keywords,thematics, and hierarchical clustering.

At least two key elements are associated with the filter and indexpipes. The first is operational qualification agents. These agentscapture specific, pre-determined linguistic patterns and can beevent-based or schedule-based. Once an operational qualification agentcaptures a signal, the signal is classified and moves on through thesystem without proceeding through additional filtering and indexing.

Both the filter and index pipes are dynamic mechanisms, which are notonly modified manually, but “learn” through the application of ananalysis engine. This analysis engine is a network of adaptive fuzzyfeature modules (AFFN's) that collectively comprise an adaptive temporalcorrelation network (ATCN). AFFN's and ATCN's provide managed artificialinformation and capture patterns and correlations between linguisticelements that are either too time-intensive for humans to capture orpractically impossible without computational assistance.

Once a signal has morphed into an information block (i.e., it has someclassification associated with it), the block itself can be consideredinformation or, in the case of misclassification, remain informationwithout attached semantics. At this point, the analyst/SME eithervalidates the information or adds semantics to the information. This canbe done through using the information block as input to additionalmechanisms in the Collection subsystem, or using the collaborationnetwork and additional analysts/SME's to reach a consensus.

In the invention, aggregated information is classified again assupplemental content or as an alert. If it is classified as supplementalcontent, the aggregated information is forwarded to the CMS (131), wherethe content manager filters it through an editorial process. At thispoint, the supplemental content can be discarded, accepted as is andsent to the CRS (91), or sent back to the analyst/SME for additionalanalysis. If the aggregated information is classified as an alert, it issent to an alert framework, along with its meta data. Additional metadata is assigned (e.g., data/time, GIST, alert type) and thenconcomitantly sent to CRS (91) and distribution list development.

In summary, the method and system of the present invention offer atravel information functional architecture that defines and supportsgathering, analysis, storage, and personalized product/service deliveryof accurate, comprehensive, and personalized travel information. Themethod and system of the invention provide a breadth and richness ofinformation sources and acquisition, sophistication of externaloversight, advisement, and business rule development processes appliedto travel information development, diversity of product and deliverymechanisms, and a comprehensive application of supporting business andtechnology architecture. The result is an online intelligence agencythat both feeds into and is driven by the global airline reservationsystem.

The following example is intended to be an illustration of certainembodiments of the invention and is not intended to limit the scope ofthe invention:

An Example of the Travel Information System

The travel information system operates in three distinct phases.

In phase one, information is collected from online sources and analyzedby regional analysts. These analysts screen the information, iron outdiscrepancies, edit and format the information, and send it to the datastore.

In phase two, a traveler enters the system through one of manydistribution points in the travel industry. An example would be atraveler who decides to purchase a Travel Intelligence Report (TIR)while purchasing an airline ticket from a travel web site. Afterpurchasing the ticket, the traveler is presented with an online profileform, which is already populated with the traveler's client record ande-ticket information, forming the core profile; he can either acceptthis profile with a single click, or supplement it with moreinformation. In either case this profile form is transmitted online tothe internet site, where it triggers the application of appropriaterules, and the retrieval of pertinent content from the data store.

In the third phase, this content is then assembled into a TIR anddelivered to the traveler. The traveler can then print and/or downloadthe TIR. At any point up to 30 days after his return the traveler canalso pull up the report online and view the latest version. If anysignificant changes occur to the underlying information, the reporte-mails the traveler. In addition, if the traveler has purchased aseparate wireless alert product, the traveler can be notified on hiswireless platform.

Global Asset Risk Management

FIG. 25 is a functional block diagram of a global asset risk managementsystem 400 according to at least one embodiment. Referring to FIG. 25,the global asset risk management system 400 may include at least onetravel intelligence source 401 and at least one asset information source402. The travel intelligence source(s) 401 may include the CIS 51 andCAAS 71, or the intelligence or information associated with the CIS 51and CAAS 71, as described herein. For example, the travel intelligencesource(s) 401 may. include a notification of an event or evolvingsecurity situation that creates an increased risk for nearby assets. Inan embodiment, the asset information source 402 may include companyproprietary asset information such as, for example, but not limited to,geographic location information for company employees or facilities. Inat least one embodiment, the geographic location information may includean objective set of coordinates identifying the location of the asset(s)(e.g., facilities, office locations, or personnel). For example, thegeographic location information may include the current or a recent setof Global Positioning System (GPS) coordinates. Furthermore, thegeographic location information may include the current or a recent setof coordinates from a Geographic Information System (GIS).

An analysis engine 403 may receive intelligence or information from thetravel intelligence source(s) 401 (e.g., Source A) and the assetinformation source(s) 402 (e.g., Source B). In an embodiment, theanalysis engine 403 may correlate the intelligence information (e.g.,Source A) with the asset information (e.g., Source B) to determine ifone or more assets is proximate to an intelligence event that couldimpact the security, health, freedom of movement, or otherwise adverselyaffect the environment in which the assets operate. If so, the analysisengine 403 may produce a risk assessment report 404 by, among otherthings, mapping or correlating travel intelligence with asset locations.In at least one embodiment, the analysis engine 403 may be as shown anddescribed with respect to FIGS. 3, 7, and 23.

In an embodiment, the global asset risk management system 400 may assignone or more geocodes to an intelligence related event to aid theanalysis engine 403 in rendering the determination. The geocode for anintelligence event may include informational elements including, but notlimited to, the intelligence category to which the event is assigned,the geographic coordinates of the epicenter of the event (e.g., latitudeand longitude coordinates), and a threat perimeter for the event. Thus,each combination of the elements comprising a geocode represents aunique geocode for an event, and an event may have more than oneassociated geocode (e.g., different threat perimeters). The threatperimeter may be of any shape such as, for example, circular,elliptical, regular polygon, or irregular polygon.

In at least one embodiment, the risk assessment report 404 may be a dataset illustrating the vulnerability of an asset or assets in the contextof an intelligence event (e.g., threat). By providing the user with anindication of the asset vulnerability in the context of the threat posedby an intelligence event, the user is able to ascertain the risk to theasset and take appropriate mitigating action. The risk assessment report404 may be a visual output to a user via text, graphics, or acombination thereof. The risk assessment report 404 may further includeone or more electronic messages in combination with the output. The riskassessment report 404 may be output to the user, for example, viahardcopy printout, computer terminal display, or mobile device displaysuch as a Liquid Crystal Display (LCD).

Further, in an embodiment, the global asset risk management system 400may provide a risk mitigation toolbox 405 to assist an asset manager, ora person or group who is responsible for the asset at risk, tocounteract and/or respond to the increased risk environment. The riskmitigation toolbox 405 may include one or more tools that serve toprovide the asset manager with information, which may includeintelligence or intelligence related information, useful in mitigatingthe increased risk environment for the asset. Examples of such toolsinclude, but are not limited to, references to one or more documentsspecifying security response procedures, policies or procedures to beimplemented in response to particular security threats, and the like. Inan embodiment, instead of a link or reference to the document(s), anelectronic copy of the document(s) may be made available for download bythe asset manager using, for example, a computer equipped with a webbrowser. Other tools may include a notification system for disseminatingtravel intelligence or security related information and additionalinformation regarding the asset(s) at risk.

FIG. 26 is a flow chart of a global asset risk management method 500according to at least one embodiment. Referring to FIG. 26, a method 500may commence at 505 and proceed to 510 and 515. At 510, a method mayinclude receiving travel intelligence from at least one intelligencesource. At 515, a method may include receiving asset information from atleast one information source. The travel intelligence source(s) 401 mayinclude the CIS 51 and CAAS 71, or the intelligence or informationassociated with the CIS 51 and CAAS 71, as described herein. In anembodiment, the asset information source may include company proprietaryasset information such as, for example, but not limited to, geographiclocation information for company employees or facilities. In at leastone embodiment, the geographic location information may include anobjective set of coordinates identifying the location of the asset(s)(e.g., facilities, office locations, or personnel). For example, thegeographic location information may include the current or a recent setof Global Positioning System (GPS) coordinates. Furthermore, thegeographic location information may include the current or a recent setof coordinates from a Geographic Information System (GIS).

Control may then proceed to 520, at which an analysis engine maydetermine one or more impact areas for an event based on theintelligence or information received from the travel intelligencesource(s) and the asset information source(s). In an embodiment, thismay include correlating the intelligence information with the assetinformation to determine if one or more assets could be impacted, interms of security, health, freedom of movement, or otherwise adverselyaffected, by the occurrence or non-occurrence of a particular event, at525. In an embodiment, the method may include assigning at least onegeocode to an intelligence event to aid the analysis engine in renderingthe impact assessment determination. If the analysis engine determinesthat one or more assets could be at increased risk due to an event,control may proceed to 530 at which the global risk management mayproduce a risk assessment report. In an embodiment, the increased riskmay be reflected by assigning a correspondingly higher risk rating tothe affected asset(s).

FIG. 27 is an illustration of a risk assessment determination or report600 according to at least one embodiment. As shown in FIG. 27, thisdetermination or report 600 may include identifying an impact area 604associated with an intelligence event that is categorized as a criticalalert. Each such critical alert may be assigned an epicenter 603. A map601 may include an indication of a one or more asset locations 602 thatcould be affected by the increased risk environment based on, amongother things, the asset being within one or more impact areas 604associated with the epicenter of a critical alert 603. In an embodiment,multiple categories of impact areas 604 May be provided such as, forexample, but not limited to, a transportation impact area or a securityimpact area. Other categories are possible. In at least one embodiment,the risk assessment report 600 may be output to a user, such as a riskmanager or security director, in the form of a visual interactive pagethat may be displayed using a web browser of a computing orcommunications device. Alternatively, the risk assessment report 600 maybe output via hardcopy print media.

Returning to FIG. 26, control may then proceed to 535, at which a methodmay include providing a risk mitigation toolbox to assist an assetmanager, or a person or group who is responsible for the asset at risk,in responding to the increased risk environment. Examples of such toolsinclude, but are not limited to, references to one or more documentsspecifying security response procedures, policies or procedures to beimplemented in response to particular security threats such asevacuation plans, maps of facilities, and the like. In an embodiment,instead of a link or reference to the document(s), an electronic copy ofthe document(s) may be made available for download. by the asset managerusing, for example, a computer equipped with a web browser. An exampleof an document provided by the risk management toolbox is shown in FIG.35.

Other tools associated with the toolbox may include a notificationsystem for disseminating travel intelligence or security relatedinformation and additional information regarding the asset(s) at risk.The notification system may send a notification to an asset manager orto personnel affected by the event using a variety of communicationmedia. The personnel who receive the notification may be pre-defined.and stored by the system. The notification system may further reviewresponses received in reply to a notification message to confirmsuccessful notification delivery. In an embodiment, the notificationsystem may assign different response categories to indicate notificationtransmission, notification receipt, and confirmation response. In atleast one embodiment, the notification system may send notificationmessages according to a set of business rules. The business rules mayinclude an escalation mechanism for ensuring that a critical alert isreceived by an asset manager, security director, or other individual ororganization responsible for managing the asset(s) at risk. For example,if a notification is sent via e-mail and no confirmation response istimely received, then the escalation mechanism may automatically promptthe system to send the notification using a different communicationschannel or media for business continuity, such as, for example,triggering a telephone call to the e-mail recipient to ensure herreceiving the notification. Multiple levels of escalation using avariety of communications media may be provided, including e-mail,telephone, pager, facsimile, satellite radio, or wireless device.Further, different escalation business rules may be provided forparticular individuals.

The additional intelligence may be useful for a security director orasset manager to obtain intelligence for greater contextualunderstanding of a security threat or increased risk situation. Forexample, such additional intelligence may include recent intelligenceevents occurring in a neighboring country near an asset in an impactarea. Furthermore, the system 400 may provide additional intelligence byapplying the rules engine to a traveler profile as described herein.

Furthermore, in an embodiment, a user of the system 400 may be providedwith the capability to determine the reliability of the intelligenceused in determining a critical alert. In particular, the ContentIdentification Segment (CIS) may provide the capability for a user toreview the source catalog information associated with an event such as,for example, an event leading to a critical alert. Thus, the system 400allows the security director or asset manager to apply his personalknowledge in assessing the reliability, for example, of the source(s) ofa critical event to be used in developing an appropriate response. In atleast one embodiment, a user may interact with the global asset riskmanagement system 400 to review the source catalog informationmaintained using the CIS. For example, FIG. 28 is an exemplary sourcecatalog page 2800 listing one or more sources of intelligence used indetermining a critical alert. Referring to FIG. 28, the catalog page2800 may include, for each source, a source identifier 2801, a sourcename/title 2802, media type 2803, system reliability rating 2804, sourcelocation 2805, and a last visited date and/or timestamp. Each of theseitems may be entered by an analyst at an operations center facility ofthe global asset risk management system 400. Furthermore, the catalogpage 2800 may include a source catalog search capability 2807. In anembodiment, the source catalog page 2800 may be an interactive page of aweb browser application such as, for example, Microsoft™ InternetExplorer™.

In an embodiment, upon user selection of a source by, for example, usinga mouse and cursor to select the line including the above describedsource information, the global asset risk management system 400 mayrespond by outputting to the user one or more interactive pagesincluding further detailed information associated with the source. Eachsource entry may be hyperlinked to the source catalog page or one ormore detailed information pages, for example. Such detailed informationinteractive pages may include, but are not limited to, generalinformation, comments, metadata, a primary contact, an alternatecontact, and ratings. The detailed information may be maintained usingthe CIS. FIG. 29 a is a first exemplary general interactive page 2900showing general details associated with a source according to at leastone embodiment. Referring to FIG. 29 a, the general details page 2900may include a source summary 2901, the name of the creating analyst orperson 2902 who created the source, the name of the analyst or person2903 who last updated the source, the creation date 2904, and the datelast updated 2905.

FIG. 29 b is a second exemplary general interactive page 2959 showingfurther general details associated with a source according to at leastone embodiment. Referring to FIG. 29 b, the general details page 2950may further include a media type 2906 associated with the source, alifespan of the article 2907 if applicable, the interval between visits2908 to the source using the system 400, the source title 2909, and asource location 2910. The source location 2910 may be a UniformReference Locator (URL) for a HTML-formatted web page.

FIG. 30 is an exemplary comments interactive page 3000 showing commentsassociated with a source according to at least one embodiment. Referringto FIG. 30, the comments page 3000 may further include comments 3001associated with the source, In an embodiment, the comments 3001 may beentered by an analyst such as a SME.

FIG. 31 is an exemplary metadata interactive page 3100 showing metadataassociated with a source according to at least one embodiment. In anembodiment, metadata associated with a source may include informationmaintained by the system 400 representing relationships of the source tovarious other informational items beyond the intelligence provided bythe source. In an embodiment, each source may be associated with eitheran intelligence category (e.g., security, terrorism) orlocation/destination information (e.g., country). For example, referringto FIG. 31, the metadata page 3100 may include a list of projects 3101associated with the source, a list of the categories 3102 for thesource, a list of locations 3103 to which the source pertains, and anoverall source category tree 3104.

FIG. 32 is an exemplary contact interactive page 3200 showing primarycontact information associated with a source according to at least oneembodiment. In an embodiment, contact information associated with asource may include a source owner or entity responsible for the sourceas well as address and communications contact information for the sourceowner. Secondary or alternate contact information may be provided onadditional contact pages 3200.

FIG. 33 is an exemplary source ratings page 3300 showing one or morereliability ratings for a source. Referring to FIG. 33, the sourceratings page 3300 may include an initial reliability assessment 3301 anda system reliability rating 3302. The reliability rating assessment 3301and 3302 may be individually assigned orating such as, for example, “A,”“B,” or “C,” representing a range of most reliable to least reliable,respectively. The initial reliability assessment 3301 may be a one-timerating assigned by an analyst or SME based on, for example, theanalyst's past experience involving intelligence from the source. In anembodiment, the system reliability rating 3302 may be determined by thesystem 400 based on a rating algorithm that takes into account a varietyof factors such as, but not limited to, the availability of the sourceto provide intelligence to agents of the system 400 as described earlierherein. Other factors may include the existence of human in the loopfeedback regarding intelligence provided by the source to confirmdevelopment of the intelligence using, for example, a trend lineanalysis. The rating algorithm may assign a mathematical or statisticalvalue to each of the various factors and then compute a reliabilityrating based on the weighted sum. By comparing the initial reliabilityassessment 3301 with the system reliability rating 3302, the user maydetermine the change in reliability of a source over time to aid inassessing the intelligence received from that source. Furthermore, thesource ratings page 3300 may further include a source status 3304,reliability comments 3305, and source status comments 3306. The sourcestatus 3304 may indicate the current status for a source including, forexample, “in use,” “potential,” “do not use,” and “aggregator”. Comments3305 and 3306 may include analyst or SME observations regarding sourcereliability or status, respectively.

FIG. 34 is an exemplary additional intelligence page 3400 of the riskmitigation toolbox in at least one embodiment. Referring to FIG. 34, theintelligence page 3400 may include for each source listed an editselection button 3501, source name/title 3402, a media type 3403 (e.g.,plain text), a unique source identifier 3404, a system reliabilityrating 3405, a creation date 3406, a last updated date 3407, notes 3408(e.g., a URL address of the World Wide Web), and an interactiverepository search interface 3409. Upon operator selection of the editselection button 3404, the system 400 may provide the capability for theuser to edit the source information including the data fields shown inFIG. 34. In an embodiment, the system 400 may provide the capability forthe user to search the source catalog or repository by entering varioussearch criteria using the repository search interface 3409.

FIG. 35 is an exemplary reference document page 3500 showing a plaintext document 3501 and an HTML formatted document 3502 of the risklitigation toolbox in at least one embodiment.

FIG. 36 is an exemplary additional intelligent metadata interactive page3600 showing metadata associated with an additional intelligencesource-of the risk mitigation toolbox according to at least oneembodiment. In an embodiment, additional intelligence metadataassociated with a source may include information maintained by thesystem 400 representing relationships of the source to various otherinformational items beyond the intelligence provided by the source. Forexample, referring to FIG. 36, the additional intelligence metadata page3600 may include a list of projects 3601 associated with the source, alist of the categories 3602 for the source, and a list of locations 3603to which the source pertains.

FIG. 37 is an exemplary additional intelligent ratings interactive page3700 showing source ratings associated with an additional intelligencesource of the risk mitigation toolbox according to at least oneembodiment. For example, referring to FIG. 37, the additionalintelligence source ratings page 3700 may include a rater identifier3701, a rate date 3702 that may include a date/timestamp, anumerically-scaled timeliness score 3703, a numerically-scaled accuracyscore 3704, a numerically-scaled relevance score 3705, and sourcecomments 3706.

In addition, in at least one embodiment, the analysis engine 403 mayinclude a compliance function in which a person seeking to travel to alocation adversely affected by a critical event, such as a locationwithin an impact area, must first acquire the approval of the assetmanager or security director prior to being permitted to travel to thelocation. This provides the asset manager the opportunity to ensure thatthe traveler has received proper training in dealing with the increasedrisk environment prior to traveling there. In at least one embodiment,this compliance function may be provided in the form an online test forwhich the traveler must obtain a satisfactory score prior to beauthorized travel (e.g., prior to being issued tickets).

It is apparent that the global asset risk management system and methodsdescribed herein may by configured to provide many useful asset riskmanagement functions in a variety of embodiments for both fixed andmobile assets including, but not limited to, people, facilities, andcontainers. For example, the global asset management system 400 may beconfigured to provide supply chain management by providing a riskassessment for a shipping route for assets or goods in shipment to avoidsupply chain interruption (e.g., routing of supply ships around areas ofincreased risk). In such embodiments, the asset information may includeindividual shipping container tracking information such as, for example,a container identification code associated with a set of periodicallyupdated geographic coordinates or identifiers. Similarly, the globalasset risk management system 400 may be configured to provide personneltracking by associating a personal identifier with a set of periodicallyupdated geographic coordinates or identifiers. In at least oneembodiment, the tracking information may include GPS or GIS coordinates.

A further example of a risk assessment report according to an embodimentis shown in FIGS. 38 a and 38 b. Referring to FIG. 38 a, a messageportion 3801 of a risk assessment report may include a text message 3802containing intelligence and affected asset information associated withan intelligence event. The message portion may also include a mappinginterface 3803 and an asset communications. interface 3804. The mappinginterface 3803 may include a selection mechanism by which a user mayselect to view a map portion of the risk assessment report. In anembodiment, when the user selects the mapping interface 3803 theanalysis engine may render a map page such as that shown in FIG. 38 b.The analysis engine may use the CMS to obtain intelligence andinformation from the CRS in generating the map page. In an embodiment,when the user selects the asset communications interface 3804, the CMSmay output an interactive page by which the user may compose and causeto be sent a message such as, for example, an electronic message oremail, to the asset.

An example of a map page 3810 according to an embodiment is shown inFIG. 38 b. Referring to FIG. 38 b, the map page 3810 may include agraphical artifact representing an intelligence event 3811, a graphicalartifact representing a landmark 3812, a graphical artifact representinga first asset 3813 such as a person on the ground at a location, and agraphical artifact representing a second asset 3814 such as a privatefacility. Further, the map page 3810 may also include a geofence 3815representing a threat boundary. In the example, of FIG. 38 b, the areainside the geofence may represent a safe area, and the area outside thegeofence may represent an area having an unacceptably high threat orrisk. Alternatively, the geofence 3815 may correspond to a threatperimeter of a geocode in which the area inside the geofence representsthe area of unacceptably high risk. The map page 3810 may also includetext information 3816 to provide the user with, among other things, thestatus of assets 3813 or 3814 with respect to the geofence 3815.Further, in at least one embodiment, in response to the user selectingan intelligence event 3811 on the interactive map page 3810 (using, forexample, a mouse device), the system 400 may output to the user thesource catalog page 2800 (see FIG. 28) so that the user may review thesources underlying the intelligence event. Thus, the risk assessmentreport may output to the user an indication of the vulnerability of oneor more assets in the context of an intelligence event or events.

Whereas particular embodiments of this invention have been describedabove for purposes of illustration, it can be evident to those skilledin the art that numerous variations of the details of the presentinvention may be made without departing from the invention as defined inthe appended claims.

1. A risk management system comprising: at least one risk informationsource; at least one asset information source; and an analysis systemconfigured to track and analyze a plurality of risk types continuouslyfor a plurality of countries or regions, to correlate risk(s) relatedinformation with one or more asset(s), and to provide a risk assessmentreport indicative of any number of the plurality of countries or regionsbased on one or more determined risks from the analysis of the risktypes.
 2. The risk management system of claim 1, wherein the at leastone asset information source is an at least one physical assetinformation source including time specific physical asset locationtracking information for a living organism, man made physical asset, orpurchased asset controlled by an organization using the risk managementsystem, wherein the analysis system is configured to provide the riskassessment report based on input from the at least one informationsource and the at least one physical asset information source.
 3. Therisk management system of claim 1, wherein the analysis system isfurther configured to provide the risk assessment report usinginformation derived at least in part by a content identificationsegment.
 4. The risk management system of claim 1, further comprising arisk mitigation toolbox coupled to the analysis system and configured toidentify related intelligence maintained using the at least oneinformation source and related information maintained using the at leastone information source.
 5. The risk management system. of claim 4,wherein the risk mitigation toolbox further includes a notificationsystem that distributes notification messages according to a set ofbusiness rules that include an escalation mechanism.
 6. The riskmanagement system of claim 2, wherein the physical asset informationincludes geographic location information.
 7. The risk management systemof claim 6, wherein the geographic location information includes a setof Global Positioning System coordinates associated with an asset. 8.The risk management system of claim 6, wherein the geographic locationinformation includes a set of coordinates for a geographic informationsystem associated with an asset.
 9. The risk management system of claim6, wherein the geographic location information is associated with afixed asset.
 10. The risk management system of claim 6, wherein thegeographic location information is associated with a movable asset. 11.The risk management system of claim 6, wherein the geographic locationinformation is indicative of a time specific geographic location of aperson that is employed by an organization using the risk managementsystem.
 12. The risk management system of claim 1, wherein theinformation includes geocodes.
 13. The risk management system of claim1, wherein the risk assessment report includes a graphical userinterface further comprising: a first graphical artifact representing anintelligence event; a second graphical artifact representing an asset;and a geofence representing a threat boundary.
 14. A risk managementmethod comprising: receiving information from at least one informationsource; receiving information from at least one asset informationsource; correlating risk(s) related information with one or moreasset(s) related information; tracking and analyzing continuously aplurality of risk types for a plurality of countries or regions; andgenerating a risk assessment report indicative of any number of theplurality of countries or regions based on one or more determined risksfrom the analysis of risk types.
 15. The risk management method of claim14, wherein the receiving information from at least one assetinformation source includes receiving asset information from at leastone physical asset information source including time specific physicalasset location tracking information for a physical asset of anorganization using the risk management method, wherein the riskmanagement method provides the risk assessment report identifying risksprojected to cause delay, inconvenience or harm the physical asset, andwhich is based on input from the at least one information source and theat least one physical asset information source.
 16. The risk managementmethod of claim 15, further comprising identifying related intelligenceinformation and physical asset information with a risk mitigationtoolbox, wherein the related intelligence information is maintainedusing the at least one information source and the related physical assetinformation is maintained using the at least one physical assetinformation source.
 17. The risk management method of claim 14, whereingenerating the risk assessment report includes using information derivedat least in part by a content identification segment.
 18. The riskmanagement method of claim 15, wherein the physical asset informationincludes geographic location information.
 19. The risk management methodof claim 18, wherein the geographic location information includes a setof Global Positioning System coordinates associated with an asset. 20.The risk management method of claim 18, wherein the geographic locationinformation includes a set of coordinates for a geographic informationsystem associated with an asset.
 21. The risk management method of claim14, wherein the information includes geocodes.
 22. The risk managementmethod of claim 14, further comprising sending critical eventnotification messages to users according to a set of business rules thatinclude an escalation mechanism.
 23. The risk management method of claim18, wherein the geographic location information is associated with afixed asset.
 24. The risk management method of claim 18, wherein thegeographic location information is associated with a movable asset. 25.The risk management method of claim 18, wherein the geographic locationinformation is indicative of a time specific geographic location of aperson that is employed by an organization using the risk managementsystem.
 26. The risk management method of claim 14, wherein generatingthe risk assessment report further comprises: outputting a map page to auser, the map page including a graphical user interface; representing anintelligence event using a first graphical artifact; representing anasset using a second graphical artifact; and representing a threatboundary using a geofence.
 27. An asset risk management systemcomprising: at least one intelligence source; at least one physicalasset information source including time specific physical assetlocation, tracking information for a physical asset of an organizationusing the risk management system; and an analysis engine coupled to theat least one intelligence source and the at least one asset informationsource, the analysis engine configured to correlate risk(s) with one ormore asset(s) and provide a risk assessment report identifying risksprojected to cause a delay, inconvenience or harm the physical asset.28. The asset risk management system of claim 27, further comprising arisk mitigation toolbox configured to identify related intelligencemaintained using the at least one intelligence source and relatedinformation maintained using the at least one physical asset informationsource.
 29. The asset risk management system of claim 28, wherein therisk mitigation toolbox further includes a notification system thatdistributes notification messages according to a set of business rulesthat include an escalation mechanism.
 30. The asset risk managementsystem of claim 27, wherein the physical asset information includesgeographic location information.
 31. The asset risk management system ofclaim 30, wherein the geographic location information includes a set ofGlobal Positioning System coordinates associated with a physical asset.32. The asset risk management system of claim 30, wherein the geographiclocation information includes a set of coordinates for a geographicinformation system associated with a physical asset.
 33. The asset riskmanagement system of claim 30, wherein the geographic locationinformation is associated with a fixed asset.
 34. The asset riskmanagement system of claim 30, wherein the geographic locationinformation is associated with a movable asset.
 35. The asset riskmanagement system of claim 30, wherein the geographic locationinformation is indicative of a time specific geographic location of aperson that is employed by an organization using the risk managementsystem.
 36. The asset risk management system of claim 27, wherein theintelligence includes geocodes.
 37. The risk management system of claim27, wherein the risk assessment report is provided from the analysisengine using a content identification segment and includes a graphicaluser interface further comprising: a first graphical artifactrepresenting an intelligence event; a second graphical artifactrepresenting an asset; and a geofence representing a threat boundary.38. An asset risk management method comprising: receiving intelligencefrom at least one intelligence source; receiving asset information fromat least one physical asset information source including time specificphysical asset location tacking information for a physical asset of anorganization using the risk management method; correlating risk(s) withone or more asset(s); generating a risk assessment report identifyingrisks projected to cause delay, inconvenience or harm the physical assetand based on the intelligence and the physical asset information; andidentifying related intelligence and physical asset information, whereinthe related intelligence is maintained using the at least oneintelligence source and the related physical asset information ismaintained using the at least one physical asset information source. 39.The asset risk management method of claim 38, wherein the assetinformation includes geographic location information.
 40. The asset riskmanagement method of claim 38, wherein the geographic locationinformation includes a set of Global Positioning System coordinatesassociated with an asset.
 41. The asset risk management method of claim39, wherein the geographic location information includes a set ofcoordinates for a geographic information system associated with anasset.
 42. The asset risk management method of claim 39, wherein theintelligence includes geocodes.
 43. The asset risk management method ofclaim 38, further comprising sending critical event notificationmessages to users according to a set of business rules that include anescalation mechanism.
 44. The asset risk management method of claim 39,wherein the geographic location information is associated with a fixedasset.
 45. The asset risk management method of claim 39, wherein thegeographic location information is associated with a movable asset. 46.The asset risk management method of claim 39, wherein the geographiclocation information is indicative of a time specific geographiclocation of a person.
 47. The asset risk management method of claim 28,wherein generating the risk assessment report is performed using acontent identification segment and further comprises; outputting a mappage to a user, the map page including a graphical user interface;representing an intelligence event using a first graphical artifact;representing an asset using a second graphical artifact; andrepresenting a threat boundary using a geofence.